PM visits Tajikistan, Pakistan this week

BANGKOK, Aug 19 — Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra left Bangkok this morning on an official visit to Tajikistan today and tomorrow and to Pakistan Tuesday and Wednesday (August 20-21).

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the premier is scheduled to participate in the high-Level International Conference on Water Cooperation (HLICWC) in Dushanbe, at the invitation of Tajikistani President Emomalii Rahmon.

The two leaders will meet to discuss bilateral cooperation, including trade and investment, technical cooperation, and other issues of mutual interest, as well as multilateral cooperation, to bring about an enhanced development partnership between the two countries.

At the water conference, Ms Yingluck will give a keynote address on Thailand’s commitment to promoting cooperation on water security and raise awareness of the importance of water management as an integral part of sustainable development and the post-2015 development agenda.

During the visit, the two leaders will sign an agreement on visa exemptions for diplomatic and official/service passport holders.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the prime minister will officially visit Pakistan, where she will meet with Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif to discuss bilateral cooperation to strengthen Thai-Pakistani trade and investment relations, multilateral cooperation and other issues of mutual interest.

This will reinforce amicable relations with Pakistan’s newly-elected government and help build a strong economic partnership between the two nations.

During the visit, three documents will be signed: an Agreement on Mutual Exemption of Visa Requirements for Holders of Diplomatic Passports, an MoU setting up a Joint Trade Committee, and an MoU on the establishing a Joint Business Council.

The official visit to Pakistan by the Thai prime minister is the first in 11 years and reaffirms more than six decades of close and cordial relations between Thailand and Pakistan.